Spirited Enterprise

I have to admit, there was a time that I was a bit jealous of my neighbor across the street.

 

Ill call her “Sharon”

 

Sharon and her husband of 15 years have one child. A boy who is 10, and the same age as my second oldest child. He was a miracle baby as the doctors said that they would never have children of their own. 5 years of fertility treatments finally gifted them with their baby boy.

 

Our sons play together quite a bit so she and I always have lots to talk about.

 

She is one of the lucky ones, as my grandmother would say. She hasn’t worked a day since their child was born. She spends all day, every day, at home, primping their home and being the perfect mother.

 

Everyday, Sharon meets me at the mailbox to tell me all about her day. Her days consist of cleaning and other housework…she cleans one entire room of the house, from top to bottom, every day except Sunday.

 

Ive been to their home. Its beautiful. Everything is in its place. Ive never seen a dirty dish in their sink or a dirty footprint on their floor. No handprints on the windows or appliances. No dirty laundry stacked up in their laundry room (which is almost as big as a bedroom!).

 

They also have beautiful things in their home. None of their furniture is scratched or dented. No pen marks on the walls. No spots on their immaculate light gray carpet.

 

Her words of wisdom to me, mother of 4, is “A Clean Home Is A Happy Home!”

 

It got me to thinking…is a cleaner home happier??

 

She has one child and all day, every day to keep up with her house. Me...I dont.  With 4 children, a full time career, all of the after school activities, and life in general. I just dont have the time. My house is never entirely clean.

 

Our sink is always at least half full. The hampers, most times are overflowing. I cant remember the last time I pulled my appliances out to clean under them. Our patio doors are full of finger prints, “blow face” marks, and even smudges of mud at the bottom.

 

At one point, this all really started to bother me. I got upset with my husband because he wasn’t devoting enough time to helping me keep the house clean. I was angry with the kids that their rooms were always a mess.

 

And then, I realized something. I didn’t like who I was during these angry moments. I didn’t like hounding my husband and the children over something that seemed so trivial. So I sat down and took a good look at myself and at my life.

 

I came to the conclusion….my house will never be clean.

 

As soon as I pick up all of the toys, the kids will only drag them out again. Each time I get caught up on the laundry, Ill realize that, between all of us, we are wearing 2 loads that very day. Every time I get the table cleared of clutter, the kids will bring home a backpack full of papers.

 

But, you know what?? I don’t care. My house is a happy house. It might be full of clutter, but its also full of love!!

 

And some of the “things” in my home that some may consider unsightly hold fond memories for me in some way or another. Or, at the very least, they are a reminder of how many blessings I have in my life.

 

The “mr potato head” drawn on the living room wall behind the recliner (in permanent marker) was one of my youngest sons first drawings of a person with actual arms and legs. I even took pictures of it so, when we do decide to paint over it, that memory will be there for him in his scrapbook.

 

The baby pink spot on my light blue carpet is a constant reminder of how lucky I am. One afternoon, my 5 year old came running around the corner and smacked right into the 4 year old who was holding a cup of juice. But it could have been worse… they could have knocked a tooth out, needed stitches, or heaven forbid…something worse. Ill take a stain on the carpet anyday over having my children hurt or in pain.

 

Upstairs in the hallway, there is a fairly large burn in the carpet from an iron falling off the ironing board. Id rather have the burn in the carpet over losing my entire home to a fire.

 

Its important to remember…

 

There will always be dishes to do, laundry to fold, and floors to clean.

 

Housework will always be there.

 

Today wont. Your kids wont.

 

Maybe you can do it better than I can. Perhaps your dishes are done and your laundry is folded and put away. My hat is off to those of you who can keep up.

 

As for me…my house isn’t clean, but we’re all happy anyway